Alex Salmond has told his party's spring conference that Scotland must do more to keep its talented youngsters in the country.

The nationalist leader told the SNP gathering in Dundee that the Holyrood executive should be trying to keep people in the country as well as attracting more in.

With the country facing a population crisis he unveiled three new policies to take into the election campaign.

Salmond said initiatives would be paid for by scrapping government plans for ID cards and nuclear weapons.

He promised a "Scottish Nobel prize" worth £5m per year to "encourage and harness creative energy".

The award would "promote future innovation and future technological endeavour" the MP said.

Housing grants

He also committed his party to providing first time buyers with Australian-style grants worth £2,000 to help with the costs of purchasing a home.

"We haemorrhage young people and we pay a heavy price for it," Salmond said.

"In many parts of Scotland, the biggest obstacle to a young person putting down real roots is the lack of affordable housing. An inability to get a foot on the first rung of the property ladder.

"We have plans to build more affordable housing and more housing for social rent.

"Boosting share equity schemes is also welcome. But we will go further."

Early years

And he pledged to prioritise early years education with 50 per cent more free nursery places than offered under Labour.

"When we talk about our future generations, and I think the really smart, successful thing to do with our wealth is to invest it in young Scotland," the SNP chief said.

"That is why the SNP will prioritise the early years.

"We will make sure health services for young families are there – health worries dealt with quickly and locally.

"We will get it right in our schools. Lower class sizes in the first three years as the best way of ensuring our children get the best educational opportunity.

"And we will boost early years education. A full half-day for three and four year olds... a clear ambition to match the best in the world with universal provision for all pre-school Scots."